Saudi Arabia <<SAW dee uh RAY bee uh>> is a big nation in Southwest Asia, within the space generally known as the Center East. It’s bordered by Jordan, Iraq, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, and Yemen. It lies alongside the Pink Sea within the southwest and alongside the Persian Gulf, also referred to as the Arabian Gulf, within the northeast. Riyadh is the capital metropolis of Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia is likely one of the world’s main producers of petroleum. Petroleum is usually referred to as oil. Petroleum is a thick, yellowish-black oil discovered under the bottom. It is a vital supply of power. Petroleum is especially used to make such merchandise as gasoline and heating oil. As a result of oil is value a lot cash, some individuals name it “black gold.” A lot of Saudi Arabia is desert. Few individuals stay within the deserts, and little or no grows there. However beneath the sand and rock of Saudi Arabia and beneath its waters off the shore within the Persian Gulf lie the most important provides of petroleum on the planet.

Land

Most of Saudi Arabia is dry and has little plants. Mountains rise alongside a lot of the western border close to the Purple Beach. The southwest area has the nation’s richest soil. Small farm villages are scattered all through this space.

Rocky deserts cowl a lot of central Saudi Arabia. In some locations, there are oases. Oases are areas within the desert the place underground water involves the floor and crops can develop. At a few of the oases, there are small farm settlements. The capital metropolis of Riyadh is the most important metropolis on this area.

The Rub al Khali, or Empty Quarter, is a large sandy desert in southern Saudi Arabia. Only a few individuals stay there.

The lowlands alongside the Persian Gulf have the world’s largest recognized provides of petroleum. Sand and gravel cowl a lot of the inland area, however some oases help giant farm settlements.

Individuals

Most of Saudi Arabia’s individuals, referred to as Saudis, have been born there. They’re associated to individuals who arrived within the space hundreds of years in the past. Some Saudis are associated to individuals who arrived later.

Many different individuals who stay in Saudi Arabia got here there as a result of wealth from the oil business created many roles. About half of those staff got here from different close by nations. The remaining got here from such nations as Britain, India, Pakistan, the Philippines, South Korea, and the USA.

Earlier than the event of the oil business, most individuals in what’s now Saudi Arabia lived as farmers in small villages or as nomads who moved from place to put with their camels, goats, and sheep. In the present day, most Saudis stay in cities. The remaining are principally farmers, though a couple of are nonetheless nomads.

Assets and merchandise

Saudi Arabia sells extra oil than another nation. Its revenue from oil has made the nation a number one energy within the Center East. Saudi Arabia additionally has small provides of copper, gold, iron ore, silver, and different minerals. Chemical compounds are the primary product made in Saudi Arabia’s factories. Different essential merchandise embrace cement, fertilizer, and metal.

Saudi Arabia has labored to extend the quantity of meals grown by its farmers. However solely a small quantity of the land could be farmed. Saudi farmers nonetheless can’t produce all of the meals the nation wants, and Saudi Arabia should purchase meals from different nations.

Because the 1960’s, the federal government has labored to develop new companies in Saudi Arabia. The nation will want such industries when the oil has been used up.

Historical past

For lots of of years, the land that’s now Saudi Arabia was divided amongst many warring teams. Within the early 1900’s, these teams have been joined collectively underneath the management of the Saud household. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was began in 1932. Saudi Arabia remained a poor, old style nation till the mid-1900’s, when revenue from the oil enterprise allowed the nation to turn into extra trendy.